Service Canada can't find unemployed woman who is standing outside their office holding a sign

Service Canada can't find unemployed woman who is standing outside their office holding a sign

Ever notice how hard it is to get the attention of Service Canada, the supposedly one-stop location for all your federal government needs?

This might give you a hint as to why that is so:

In an interview with the National Post’s Katrina Clark, Diane Finley, the minister in charge of Human Resources and Skills Development, insisted she’d love to help out Marlene Giersdorf, the 30-year-old single mother from Montague, P.E.I. who was cut off unemployment insurance because she wouldn’t look for work in Charlottetown. (She doesn’t have a car and Charlottetown is 40 minutes away).

Said Finley:

Service Canada has made multiple attempts to talk with her, to review her file, to go over the options, to get all of the information. But it had no success in reaching her and I really encourage her to get in touch with them.

And again:

Obviously it’s difficult for her, but that’s why I’m encouraging her to get in touch with Service Canada.

And again:

[Giersdorf should] please get in touch with Service Canada right away so that they can do whatever is possible to address her situation.

Now, in case you’ve forgotten, Giersdorf first came to public attention because she’s been picketing outside the Service Canada offices to protest being kicked off unemployment. Reporters from Toronto don’t seem to have trouble tracking her down. Neither have Charlottetown reporters. The Guardian, on Friday, found herat her post in front of the Service Canada offices, while Services Canada was supposedly trying desperately to reach her.

“I’ve tried to get in contact with them and left messages, so I’m not sure what they are saying,’’ said Marlene Giersdorf on Friday while manning her protest spot in front of the Services Canada building. “I can’t afford a phone so I use the number of a friend.”

Montague has a population of just over 5,000. How hard can it be to find someone, especially if they’re standing outside your office holding a sign? Have they tried opening the window and yelling, “Yo, Marlene!”